Ments



Sept. 24, 1929. R. P. DE VAULT Re. 17,443

IHTER IITTENT GEARING FOR MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS Original Filed May 19. '1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 P 1929. R. P. DE VAULT R0. 17,443

1'.N'IERII'ITEN'I GEARING FOR IO'I'ION PICTURE APPARATUS- 2 Stung-Sheet 2 Original Filed May 19. 1919 Reissued Sept. 24, 1929 UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE RALPH PULLIAM DE VAULT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; ASSIG-NOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO ACME MOTION PICTURE PROJECTOR COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS INTEBMITTENT GEARING FOR MOTION-PICTURE APPARATUS I Original No. 1,355,543, dated October 12, 1920, Serial No. 298,013, filed May 19, 1919. Application for reissue filed. July 18, 1922. Serial No. 575,825.

This invention relates to improvements in intermittent gearing for motion picture apparatus.

In a motion picture apparatus of the intermittently moving film class, it is customary to cut off the light. during the movement ofthe film and this interruption of thelight is the causeofthe objectionable flicker.

To reduce the flicker, it is customary to pro- VlClGlll'lG shutter with interrupting portions causing further interruptions of the light while the film is at rest, and while this reduces the pronounced flicker, it also reduces the illumination upon the screen, the average machine allowing about 50% of the light minus the density of the film to reach the screen.

The main objects of this invention are First, to provide in a motion picture apparatus an improved film driving means whereby the time of changingpictures is reduced,

tically imperceptible and therefore it is not necessary to introduce other periods of darkness or interruptions.

Second, to provide an improved motion picture apparatus utilizing a large percentage of the illumination. I

Third, in a motion picture apparatus an improved film driving means, having these advantages which makes but little noise, and drives the film with but little wear thereon, and is very economical and durable in structure. I

Further objects and objects relating to structural details will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow. j

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and means described inthe following specification. The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the claims.

A. structure which is a preferred embodiment ofmy invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which Figure I is a side elevation of a structure embodying the features of my invention, parts being mainly shown conventionally and parts broken away.

Fi II is a detail view looking from the right 0f Fig. III andtherear side of Fig. I,

reducing the period of darkness so it is prac-i with the cover or. side plate of the gear box removed.

Fig. III is a detail view mainly in vertical SBPtlOllOIl a'hne corresponding to line 33 of F1gs.I and IV.

Fig. IV is a detail view of parts shown in 1 Fig. II, the driving gears for the film sprocket being removed. r

Fig. V is a front perspective view of the Geneva stop movement driving member.

Fig. VI is an enlarged detail section on a line 7 -7 of Fig. III, showingfurther details of the film driving means.

- Fig. VIII is a side view showing the rear or inner faceof the star wheel, of the film driving means.

Fig. IX is a detail section on a line corresponding to line 9'-9 of Fig. VII.

In the drawing, similar reference characters referto similar parts throughout the several views, and the sectional views are taken looking in the direction of the little arrows at the ends of the section lines.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents the frame of a moving picture machine, and 2 the gear box or housing for the film driving gearing and 3 the lens box. The details of the shutter are not illustrated as they form no part of this invention, The film gate 4t is secured at the rear of the lens box by means of the set screw 6. I The film casing and support are not illustrated", as such parts form no part.

of this invention.

The film sprocket 7 is disposed at the rear end of the aperture gate andis provided with teeth 8 which engage the perforations 9. of the film 10,,which is, a well-known type. The spindle 11 of the film sprocket is supported in bearing 12 mounted in the gearbox 2. The spindle is disposed eccentrically in its hearing which is rotatably adjustable in its sup: port, thereby providing adjustment for the driven star wheel 13 of the intermittent driving means for the film sprocket. The bearstructure illustrated to serve as a balance wheel. The shaft 16 is provided with a beveled gear 18 driven from the shaft 19 having beveled gear 20 thereon. This shaft 19 is driven from the large gear 21 on the power shaft 22. The means for driving this shaft are not shown, it being ordinarily provided with a crank.

The driving gear 15 is provided with a driving pin 28 having a cylindrical body portionand a segmental extension 2 1, the chord side 25 of which provides a fiat inner face.

The star wheel, or driven member 13, is provided with radially disposed recesses 26 having inner portions 27 with which the body of the driving pin coacts to actuate the wheel and the outer portions 28 of a width less than the diameter of the body portion of said pin, adapted to receive andcoact with said pin extension. These outer portions of the slots have outwardly and diverging flat surfaces 29 at the entrance of the slots with which the flat face of said pin extension coacts when the pin passes into and from the slots. See Fig. VII. During this period of movement, the pin acts as a stop member, preventing the movement of the star wheel, or stopping its movement, thereby preventing its striking the locking cam 30 of the driving gear and eliminating noise. The star wheel is provided with concave surfaces 31 between its slots with which the cam 30 of the gear 15 coacts to hold the star wheel againstmovement, the cam being recessed at 32 at the pin 23 to permit rotation of the star wheel.

It will be noted (see Fig. VIII) that the portion of the slot with which the body portion of the actuating pin engages is substantially shorter than the slot, and that this,

portion of the slot extends well toward the axis of the wheel, so that in operation the period of actuation is very short, thus reducing the time of shifting or actuation of the film. The time of actuation. in the structure illustrated is about of the time of complete rotation of the driving member. I thus reduce the period of operation to such an extent that the period of darkness, or interruption of the light, is such to be unobjectionable, and therefore it is not necessary to provide for or introduce other periods of darkness, or interruption, while the film is'at rest. This greatly increases the ethciency of the light, and the apparatus illustrated utilizes about 90% of the light, which result is greatly in excess of what has heretofore been attained; and further, I accomplish this rapid movement without an objectionable noise.

By adjusting the bearings of the spindle through means shown in Fig. VT, and heretofore described, the star wheel is brought into its proper relation to its driving member for adjustment in assembling or to take up wear.

To hold the film steady and prevent fluttering during its rapid movement, 1 provioe a pair of resilient belts formed of coiled springs. These belts are supported by pulleys 3 1 and 35disposed at the ends of the gate, the lower pulley 35 being disposed below the film driving sprocket. The supports 36 and 37 for these pulleys are pivoted so as to be swung back away from the film, their rel/used position being indicated by dotted line. The springs 38 and 39 hold the supports in their operative position. These belts are supported by these pulleys so that the rear reaches of the belts yieldingly hold the film against the aperture gate and against the film sprocket as the film travels across the same. driven by their contact with the film and thence the sprocket, their speed is near that of the film, so that there is lessened surface friction than before on the film, and the films are fed so that the wear of the sprockets thereon is nominal, thus increasing the life of the film.

The upper pulleys as are provided with a friction means to prevent the overrunning of the belts, consisting of the spring 49 which presses the friction disk 10 against the pulley. The adjusting and lock nuts 51 and 52 respectively regulate the friction.

I have illustrated and described my improvement in these two embodiments in order to show the general adaptability thereof. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other adaptations 0r embodiments, as I believe. the disclosure made will enable those skilled in the art to which my invention relatcsto embody or adapt the same as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a structure of the class described, the combination with a film sprocket, of a driving means therefor comprising a driving w reel provided with a driving pin having a cylind *ical body portion and a segmental extension provided with a flat inner face, and a coacting driven wheel provided with radially disposed slots having inner portions with which the body portion of said driving pin coacts to actuate the wheel and outer portions of a width less than the diameter The belts being of the body portion of the said pin coacting with said pin extension, said outer portions of said slots having flat outwardly diverging surfaces at the entrance thereof with which the flat surface of said pin extension coacts as the pin passes into and from the slots, said driven wheel having concave surfaces between its said slots, said driving wheel having a cylindrical cam coacting with said concave surfaces of said driven wheel with arecess therein at the pin,,permitting the actuation of the driven wheel by the pin.

2. In a structure of the class described, the combination with a film sprocket, of a driving means therefor comprising a driving wheel provided with a driving pin having a cylindrical body portion and a segmental extension, and a coacting driven wheel provided with radially disposed slots havinginner portions with which the body portion of said driving pin coacts to actuate the wheel and outer portions of awidth less than the diameter of the body portion of the said pin coacting with said pin extension, said outer portions of said. slots having surfaces with which said pin extension coacts as the pin passes into and from the slots, said driven wheel having concave surfaces between its said slots, said driving wheel havinga cylindrical cam coacting with said concave sur faces of said driven wheel with a recess therein at the pin permitting the actuation of the driven wheel by the pin.

3. In a structure of the class described, the combination with a film sprocket, of a driving means therefor comprising a driving wheel provided with driving pin having a cylindrical body portion and an extension vand a coacting driven wheel provided with radially disposed slots having inner portions with which the body portion of said driving pin coacts to actuate the wheel and outer portions with which said pin extension coacts having surfaces with which the pin extension engages while the driven wheel is at rest as the body of the pin passes into and from the slots, said driven wheel having con cave surfaces between its said slots, said driving wheel having a cylindrical cam coacting with said concave surfaces of said driven wheel with a recess therein at the pin, per- -n1itting theactuation of the driven wheel by the pin,

4:. The combination of a driving wheel provided with driving pin having a cylindrical body portion and a segmental exten sion provided-with a flat inner face, and a coacting, driven wheel provided with radial actuate the wheel and outer portions of a width less than the diameter ofthe body portion of the said pin coacting with said pin extension, said outer portions of said slots having flat outwardly diverging surfaces at the entrance thereof with which the flat face of said pin extension coacts as the pin passes -1nto and from the slots, said drlven wheel sion provided with fiat inner face, and a coacting drlven wheel provided with radlal slots having inner portions with which the body portion of said driving pin coacts to actuate the wheel and outer portions of a width less than the diameter of the body portion of the said pin coacting with said pin extension, said outer portions of said slots having flat outwardly diverging surfaces at the entrance thereof with which the flat face of said pin extension coacts as the pin passes into and from the slots.

6. The combination of a driving wheel provided'with driving pin having a cylindrical body portion and an extension, and a coacting driven wheel provided with radially disposed slots having inner portions with which the body portion of said driving pin coacts to actuate the wheel and outer portions with which said pin extension coacts having surfaces with which the pin extension engages while the driven wheel is at rest as the pin passes into and from the slots, said driven wheel body portion andan extension, and a coacting driven wheel provided with radially disposed slots having inner portions with which the body portion of said driving pin coacts to actuate the wheel and outer portions with which said pin extension coacts having sur faces with which the pin extension engages while the driven wheel is at rest as the pin passes into and from the slots.

8. The combination of a driving wheel provided with a driving abutment including a cylindrical driving portion and an extension,

and a cooperating driven member provided with radially disposed slots having inner portions with which the body portion of said abutment contacts to impart motion to said,

driven wheel, said slots having surfaces with which said extension engages while the abutment moves into and from said slots.

9. In combination with a driving element of a member adapted to be driven thereby including a slot, engaging portions between the driving element and the slot including surfaces causing locking engagement of the driving elements With the driven member during a, portion of its movement in the slot and ineluding a further engaging surface portion causing accelerated driving engagement during another portion of movement of the element in the slot.

RALPH PULLIAM DE VAULT. 

